TAKING HIS SEED

by Zoey Parker

  There was no one outside her apartment building. Everyone had sensibly tucked themselves up inside, reluctant to come out. But Nancy only had to wander a few feet down the street before she came upon the aftermath of the night before.

  The authorities had eventually showed up. They must have arrived in the early hours of the morning, when Nancy had finally managed to get some sleep. Paramedics were onsite, tending to the more gravely wounded. There were stretchers everywhere and ambulances parked alongside the road, with cop cars preventing any vehicle access down the street. And blood. There was so much blood. It ran like a river down the center of the street, pooling like oil around the drains. Nancy felt sick at the sight of it. She pressed a hand against her stomach and pushed away the uneasy feeling.

  “You’re going to need stitches, we’ll have to send you to a hospital,” a young brunette paramedic was telling a battered old man. He was propped up against a wall, one of his eyes swollen shut. His entire face was caked with dried blood and his lips had been burst open by a well-placed punch.

  “No,” the old man managed to cough.

  “Sir, you’re at risk of infection. You need to be hospitalized for your wounds.”

  “No,” the old man protested again, trying to struggle to his feet. The brunette signalled for some of her colleagues to come and assist her. Nancy wondered what the old man feared. Was it the hospital or was it the prospect of police intervention? If he went to the hospital, would he ultimately have to answer for his crimes? And anyone present the previous night would have chalked up an impressive number of crimes. Disturbing the peace, disorderly conduct, violent assault, maybe even manslaughter - to name a few.

  Nancy was relieved to see that the carnage of the fight hadn’t seemed to have spread up to her store. And the shutters were still all the way down. Shaking with relief Nancy opened up. It felt surreal to even think about working after what she’d just seen. But she needed the normalcy of it to take her mind off worrying about Zack. And Brittany. Would Brittany even show up for work?

  Nancy wandered through the store and into the back room where she’d left her purse and jacket. When she moved back through to the reception area, a man was standing in the doorway. He had shaggy blonde hair and stooped as though he were in pain. Nancy recognised him instantly and flinched.

  “We’re closed,” she announced stiffly, her voice hard.

  “You look pretty open to me,” the guy edged further into the store. He was walking with a limp, pressing a hand against his thigh each time he moved. His face was adorned with numerous fresh stitches over seemingly deep wounds. He was as pale as paper, almost hauntingly so.

  “You need to leave,” Nancy considered screaming. The paramedics and the cops were close enough to hear her. She took a deep breath, inflating her lungs in preparation.

  “Now, you don’t need to be doing that,” he held up hands which were red and bruised and managed to force a smile. “I just want my sleeve finished off before I go into hibernation for the rest of the month.”

  “You look like you need the rest of the year,” Nancy scoffed.

  “True,” he laughed in agreement. “But the best I can manage is the month. Reckon you can finish this sleeve for me today?”

  Nancy eyed him dubiously.

  “I know Brittany was working on it, but something tells me we won’t be seeing her again.”

  “What do you know about Brittany?” panicked burned within Nancy at the mention of her protégées name. Where was Brittany? Had she somehow been caught up in the madness the night before? Nancy couldn’t bear the thought of it.

  “I know she’s skipped town.”

  “Skipped town?” Nancy exhaled and leaned back against the reception counter for support. She felt dizzy from worry.

  “Yep. With lover boy in tow. They’ll be long gone by now.”

  Nancy ran her hands through her hair. So Brittany was gone. The most talented artist Nancy had come across during her career was now scattered to the wind.

  “But she’s safe?” she demanded.

  “Should be.”

  “Good.” And Zack? But Nancy didn’t ask the question. If Zack had survived, she was certain she’d hear from him sooner or later, when he was ready to crawl up out of the woodwork.

  “Should you really be here?” she asked her blonde visitor, pursing her lips.

  “Probably not,” he gave a casual shrug and then winced.

  “You should be resting up in bed.”

  “That an offer to come take care of me?” his eyes sparkled flirtatiously. “I reckon you’d look really good in a tight little nurse’s outfit.”

  “If you want me to finish that sleeve for you, I suggest you stop insulting me,” Nancy folded her arms across her chest and scowled at him.

  “Hey, darling, I was just offering you a compliment. You should learn to take one.”

  “You were sexually harassing me,” Nancy rolled her eyes. She wanted to get the guy out of there, but she found herself checking her calendar for the day. She could fit him in for the sleeve if she got to work on him right now. But why wasn’t she just sending him away? She didn’t need him bringing any trouble her way.

  “I didn’t mean to offend you,” he struggled over to the reception desk and leaned against it so that he was standing beside her. Nancy had expected him to smell like stale liquor and dried blood but instead he smelled of oil and shampoo. Fresher than she’d thought he would be.

  “If we start on it right now, I can finish your sleeve today,” Nancy informed him briskly, heading towards the treatment room before he had a chance to respond.

  “You’re bossy. I like that,” he commented saucily as he hobbled after her. Nancy did pause to hold the door open for him.

  “What if the cops find you here?” Nancy asked as she started gathering together her tools. She was actually looking forward to working on the guy’s sleeve. It would provide a much-needed distraction from all her frantic thoughts. She kept worrying about Brittany and Zack, hoping that they were both okay.

  “They won’t do anything,” the guy told her confidently.

  “You sure about that?” Nancy was wiping down his arm which was surprisingly wound free compared to the rest of him.

  “Positive,” he grinned at her. “Cops won’t be giving us any trouble.”

  “Weren’t you a part of that big fight last night?”

  “What gives you that idea?” he laughed.

  “Fine,” Nancy huffed and picked up her needle, about to start work on the sleeve.

  “Yes,” he conceded quickly, his voice suddenly threatening to crack. “I was a part of the fight last night. But the cops won’t bother me. Or you. I run the Skeleton Kings, so I basically run this town.”

  “I see,” Nancy felt nervous at the gang talk. She’d never wanted to get involved in any of it.

  “You stay on my good side, and I can bring you lots of work in here and offer you protection.”

  Nancy opened her mouth to protest, but he talked over her.

  “Don’t tell me you don’t want to get involved. Talented lady like yourself should be chomping at the prospect to work on so many guys. Think of the cash flow. And I promise that all my guys would pay you a premium rate.”

  Nancy clamped her lips together. She’d always remained neutral in gang problems. What this guy was proposing would align her to the Reapers. It would put her in the line of fire when the next fight came around. And there was always a next fight. The kind of grudges that existed between the two packs were never settled no matter how much blood was shed.

  “You seem like a nice girl,” he reached out and grabbed her free hand in his. She was startled by the sudden connection but didn’t jump back. “You deserve to be protected,” he added softly.

  Nancy blinked back tears. During the night, she’d lay awake, alone in her apartment terrified that someone would come bursting through her front door, that the next screams she heard would be her own. Where was Zack? He’d be
en so concerned about Brittany, but he hadn’t stuck around to make sure Nancy was safe.

  “I’d always protect you,” the guy squeezed her hand tightly. Nancy looked at him and saw that beneath the bruises and the swelling he’d managed to retain his boyish charm. Handsome eyes sparkled at her, and she blushed with understanding. His protection would come at a cost, but it was one she would willingly pay.

  “So let’s get this sleeve finished,” Nancy sniffed back any tears and focused on the guy’s upper arm.

  “Yes, let’s,” he agreed. “And sweets, call me Henry.”

  “Okay…Henry.”

  “And you’re Nancy,” he smiled tenderly at her. “I look forward to us getting more acquainted.”

  Nancy blushed. She started to work on the sleeve and tried to push away thoughts of Zack. If she went with Henry, would she be dishonoring what they had? But then they didn’t even have anything, it wasn’t like they were exclusively dating, just fucking on occasion. And Nancy wanted so desperately to feel protected, to feel safe, to feel wanted. Besides, it wasn’t like Zack was ever going to come back into her life. He’d probably fled town, just as Brittany had, and she’d never see him again.

  The nauseating feeling she’d woken up with flared up again as she worked on the sleeve. On two occasions, Nancy had to stop and steady herself, fearing she might throw up. But she managed to stay composed and she completed the sleeve. All the while, Henry kept flirting with her so that when they said goodbye and he reached to kiss her, Nancy didn’t push him away. Henry placed a strong hand upon her cheek and pulled her lips towards his. He was a surprisingly gentle kisser. Nancy melted into the embrace. Henry’s kiss was everything she’d needed – it was soft and reassuring.

  “Until next time,” he promised her huskily as they parted.

  “Yeah,” Nancy smiled at him, suddenly feeling all girlish and self-conscious. She watched Henry leave, grateful for the new man who had walked into her life.

  Chapter One Hundred One

  Brittany slept contentedly beside Max. She felt reassured by the steady, constant beating of his heart, which she could feel through his chest like an unrelenting drum. By the time the early morning sunlight was streaming in beneath the curtains, Brittany felt refreshed. She sat up and stretched, and for a blissful moment she was happy. She was with Max and that was all that mattered.

  But then the memories of the previous night crashed down on her like a tsunami, threatening to drown her in negative emotions. She remembered how Zack had walked away from her, had gone to fight a battle which wasn’t even truly his. Why hadn’t he chosen to turn his back on it all like Max had?

  “Morning,” Max croaked the greeting, his voice hoarse. A dark shadow of stubble had gathered along his jaw line making him seem even more dangerously sexy.

  “Morning,” Brittany pushed away her negative thoughts and leaned down to gently kiss Max on the lips. As they connected, he released a groan of contentment and looped his arms around her waist, drawing her closer to him. Brittany wanted to get lost in the moment, in the kiss. But Zack’s name kept pinging around her head like a bell. It was almost deafening.

  “My brother,” she panted as she pulled back from Max, seeing his face blanche with disappointment.

  “He made his choice,” Max sat up, pushing his hands through his hair.

  “I need to know that he’s okay.” Brittany wasn’t sure she could live beneath the cloud of uncertainty, which came with not knowing what happened to Zack. Was he even alive? Or did he die while she blissfully slept? Guilt pressed through her like a rusty blade, and Brittany cupped a hand to her mouth, suppressing a sob.

  “Brittany - ”

  “Can’t you make a call or something?” she pleaded desperately. Good or bad, she had to know what happened to Zack. She’d never rest unless she knew.

  “It’s too dangerous.”

  “Max,” Brittany wilted, feeling all her happiness drain out of her. How was she supposed to be happy if her brother was dead? If she knew, concretely, what happened to him, good or bad, she could at least carry on, could let go. “I need to know. Either way, I need to know.”

  Max groaned and got out of bed. Her eyes flicked up his bare torso, savouring how she always did, at how amazing he looked.

  “If I call then they will know where we are, and they’ll probably come after us,” he warned gravely.

  “But if the fight is over, isn’t everything resolved now?” Brittany gazed at him with wide-eyed innocence.

  “It doesn’t work that way,” he grumbled, heading for the small bathroom. Brittany scrambled up and followed him. There had to be something he could do about learning of Zack’s fate.

  “He’s my brother,” she announced, her heart almost breaking as she considered possibly having to speak about him in the past tense.

  “Maybe everyone died last night,” Max shrugged, leaning into the tub to turn on the overhead shower. Hot water gushed out, filling the room with steam and almost drowning out his words. “Maybe some people survived,” he continued, his voice level. “Either way, we risk being hunted down and blamed for whatever went down in Colridge. I can’t stress to you enough how dangerous these people are, Brittany.”

  “But my brother is one of these people, and he’d never hurt us.”

  “Are you hurting now?” Max gave her a long, hard look. “Did his decision last night hurt you?”

  Brittany lowered her head as a solitary tear slid down her cheek.

  “Yes,” she replied softly. “He did hurt me.” Which meant that he had the capacity to do so again. But while Zack might be quick to cast her off, she wasn’t about to do the same. They were family, and that meant something to Brittany.

  “All I want to know is whether he’s alive or dead,” she straightened, wiping at her cheek. “Once I know that, I’ll let it all go. I promise. We’ll get on your bike and go wherever you want and I’ll never look back. Ever.”

  She could see Max considering her offer, his expression stern with contemplation.

  “If I do this,” he sighed, “we leave immediately after. We leave the state and we never return. We go down a whole new road together, one which no one can follow us down.”

  Brittany felt a thrill of excitement dance down her spine, and she edged towards Max, placing her hands on his bare chest. He shuddered with delight at her touch. The thought of the two of them going off on some grand adventure together was thrilling. It was as if they were about to ride off into the sunset together, to forget all about Zack and Colridge and forge their own happily ever after.

  “I’ll make one call,” Max told her sternly. “That’s it. After that, we’re gone.”

  “Agreed.” Brittany was pushing Max back, towards the tumbling heat of the shower. As he stepped into the tub, she hastily removed the T-shirt and panties she’d slept in. Max broke out in a wide grin as she climbed beneath the spray of the shower with him. They melted together in a passionate kiss as the water soaked them both. Brittany stopped worrying about Zack and lived only in the moment. That was what she loved most about Max – his power to make her forget about all the bad stuff she’d lived through and just savor the present. With Max, she saw the beauty in the sunset, heard the sweet melody of bird song. He gave her an appreciation for life which she assumed had died along with her parents. In Max’ arms, she was truly alive. She just hoped that the same could be said for Zack, that he wasn’t lying in a ditch somewhere slowly bleeding out and questioning all the choices that had led him to his own dark end.

  Chapter One Hundred Two

  Max towel dried his hair and pulled on some jeans and a fresh T-shirt. Brittany was busy packing up their things.

  “Make sure you head over to the 7-11,” he reached into his pocket for several ten dollar bills. “Fill our bags with as much as you can.”

  There was a gas station across the street where Brittany could visit to grab some essentials while he fulfilled his promise to her. There was a pay phone in the parki
ng lot of the motel. Max was willing to use it but only briefly. He didn’t want to dwell on the line long enough for the call to be traced.

  He watched Brittany hurry across the street before entering the pay phone booth. It stank of stale urine and Max instantly recoiled. But then he steeled himself, knowing that he had to do this to help truly set Brittany free, once and for all. He read the number from his cell phone and typed it into the pay phone, then dropped a quarter in the relevant slot. It landed within the depths of the pay phone with a dull thud.

  Max wasn’t sure he was even expecting anyone to answer. Maybe they really were all dead. As sad as that was he’d be relieved. He wouldn’t need to worry about someone stalking their movements across America. He and Brittany could live their life without fear. But on the third ring someone picked up and Max’ heart sank. A male voice said hello, a voice Max recognised.